A description of the practice of advanced midwives

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Date
2011-05
Authors
Lesia, Nozimanga Gladys
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Midwives, in the absence of medical practitioners are the most readily available health professionals to render care in Primary and Community Health Care settings. After obtaining a qualification in Advanced Midwifery and Neonatology, midwives should be placed and utilized in areas where they can use their competencies for the benefit of the mother and the baby. The aim of this study was to describe the practice of advanced midwives including their placement and utilization. A non-experimental and descriptive design was used. After a thorough literature analsis as well as a focus group discussion was done, a questionnaire for data collection was compiled. The data was collected after approval was obtained from the relevant roleplayers as well as from the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Science from the local University. The population consisted of all (178) practicing advanced midwives who trained at the University of the Free State during 1995-2007. No sampling was done and 178 questionnaires were distributed to the practicing advanced midwives. Sixty nine questionnaires were returned (39% return rate) and analysed. The findings indicated that only 13 (n=13, 19%) of advanced midwives were placed and utilized correctly. Advanced midwives that were not placed and utilized correctly expressed a loss of self-confidence, lack of support and a lack of recognition. They also reported an inability to demonstrate their expertise in practice due to inappropriate placement and utilization. Nurse academics and Advanced midwifery Practitioners should publish research articles in Health Sciences Journals to make their competencies known. That might ensure that they are recognized by their colleagues and given the opportunity to practice what they have trained for.
Afrikaans: In Primêre - en Gemeenskapgesondheidsorg Instansies is vroedvroue, in die afwesigheid van mediese praktisyns, meer beskikbaar om die nodige sorg te verleen. Nadat ’n kwalifikasie in Gevorderde Verloskunde en Neonatologie behaal is, behoort gevorderde vroedvroue in areas geplaas te word waar hulle, hul bevoegdhede tot voordeel van moeder en baba, kan aanwend. Die doel van die studie was om die praktyk van gevorderde vroedvroue, insluitend waar hulle geplaas is en of hulle bevoegdhede daar benut word, te beskryf. ’n Nie-eksperimentele, beskrywende studie is gedoen. Na voltooing van ‘n deeglike literatuur analise sowal as ’n fokusgroeponderhoud, is ’n vraelys vir data-insameling saamgestel. Nadat goedkeuring van die Etiekkomitee van die Fakulteit Gesondheidswetenskappe van die plaaslike universiteit, sowel as ander rolspelers verkry is, is data versamel. Die populasie het bestaan uit alle (178) praktiserende gevorderde vroedvroue wat gedurende 1995-2007 by die Universiteit van die Vrystaat afstudeer het. Geen steekproeftrekking is gedoen nie en honderd agt en sewentig (178) vraelyste is aan die praktiserende, gevorderde vroedvroue gestuur. Nege-en-sestig (39% responskoers) vraelyste is terug ontvang en is vir ontleding gebruik. Die bevindinge het aangedui dat slegs dertien (n=13, 19%) van die gevorderde vroedvroue korrek geplaas en benut is. Gevorderde vroedvroue wat nie korrek geplaas en/of benut was nie, het gemeld dat hulle ’n gebrek aan selfvertroue, gebrek aan ondersteuning en gebrek aan erkenning ervaar. Hulle het ook genoem dat hulle, as gevolg van verkeerde plasing en/of onvoldoende benutting, nie instaat is om hulle ekspertise in die praktyk toe te pas nie. Verpleegkundige akademici en gevorderde vroedvrou praktisyns behoort navorsingsartikels in Gesondheidsorgjoernale te publiseer om te verseker dat hulle bevoegdhede aan andere bekend gemaak word. Dit mag verseker dat hulle deur hul kollegas erken sal word en die geleentheid gegee sal word om die vaardighede en bevoegdhede waarvoor hulle opgelei is, te implementeer.
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Keywords
Midwifery -- Practice -- South Africa, Maternity nursing, Midwives -- Practice, Gynecologic nursing, Dissertation (M.Soc.Sc. (Nursing))--University of the Free State, 2011
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